Bushcraft Style Knives

HOME    LARGE KNIVES   BUSHCRAFT KNIVES  SMALL KNIVES   KNIFE SETS  KNIFE PROJECTS  SERVICES  STICKS   

ANTLER, HORN & WOOD  FIRESTEELS  ARTICLES   CONTACT   MY COLLECTION  FEEDBACK     PATRIOTS

Please Scroll down to the bottom of this page for full details and specifications of the Talisman and Guardian knives.

My Guardian # 01

This is my very own 52100 Bearing Steel Guardian, serial number 01.  The handle materials are Stabilised Curly Birch and Malachite.

The Sheath is from 3.5mm Veg Tanned leather and as can be seen, very detailed.  It has a standard short belt loop and also an extended loop on a 'D' ring.

My # 01 DL1 Mk2

This knife is the first one (Serial number 01) of a batch of ten DL1 Mk2 blades, made from RWL steel, by Brian Sorenson. The main difference between this and the the MkI is the blade thickness, which is now 3mm instead of 4mm.

The handle material is composed of Stabilised Elder Burl, reconstituted Turquoise over white fibre liners.  Three Mosaic pins and a Brassed lined Lanyard hole complete the handle.

The Sheath is a little bit unusual as can be seen...

My DL1 Mk1 - # 01

This my very own RWL-34 steel DL1, serial number 01 of 10 blades I commissioned Jasper B. Nielson of Denmark to make for me.   

Handle is Thuya Burl over red liners.  Sheath is of the standard fixed loop type made from 3.5mm veg tanned leather, suitably worked and embossed. Finish is in semi-matt oil/wax..

My Talisman # 01

This is also my very own 52100 Bearing Steel Talisman, serial number 01.

Handle is in Snakewood over red liners.  As the figuring of the Snakewood isn't as good as I hoped for, I might yet change the handle to something else.

Sheath is of the standard type with extended loop in 3.5mm veg tanned leather that has been shaped and figured to my liking.

JBN - RWL-34 DL1 Knife - # 04

DL1 - knife # 04 of 10 JBN blades.  I made this one for Gordon up in Scotland.

Handle is of Black Buffalo Horn and Red deer Antler. The 'Firesteel Papoose' is of matching material.

The Sheath is a British/Scandinavian style hybrid with extension loop made from 3.5mm veg tan shoulder leather in Black.

JBN - RWL-34 DL1 Knife - # 06

DL1 - knife # 06 of 10 JBN blades.  This one I made for Bill who had this to say when he got the knife:

Hello Paul Well the next door neighbour who kindly took in the package for me has just handed it over & after opening it all I can say is You did not exaggerate the colour & finish on the handle is absolutely beautiful & I see you remembered about my large hands, cos while not overly large the handle is wonderfully hand filling I could NOT lose my grip on this!!!  As for the sheath WOW !!! I have actually given up (for the time being) trying to work out how many styles of stamping there are all in all I would definitely give this one the GOLD MEDAL   Yours as ever Bill  Birch.

I don't think I need say any more...

JBN - RWL34 DL1 Knives - # 8, 9and 10

DL1 - knife # 08, 09 and 10 of 10 JBN blades.  These are destined for the USA for Andrew and his two sons.

From the left, Afzelia, Amboyna and Thuya.  9mm Firesteels with matching handles of course.  Main finish is CCL English Knife oil with a light waxed finish.

The sheaths are from 3.5mm thick Shoulder Veg tanned leather in Maroon, Mahogany and Brown.  Final finish is a bit darker than normal because all three are heavily oiled and waxed.

Remaining DL1 blades:

#7 -  Reserved for Karl

NB:  Next batch of 10 DL1 blades have been ordered but delivery date is as yet unknown.

With the new batch there are going to be four main changes to the original brief, and these are:

a.  The maker is going to be Brian Sorenson from Denmark (who also does the 52100 Bearing steel Talisman, Guardian and Leuku's for me).  Brian is an exceptionally fine smithy.

b.  The thickness of the blade is going to be 3mm.

c.  The grind is going to be appx. 7-8mm deep.  The idea is to give more substance to the cutting edge and yet make the knife more usable in food preparation tasks as well as other tasks one expects from a Bushcraft type knife.

d.  The distance between the cutting edge and the start of the handle is being reduced to 10mm to facilitate better handling for fine close work as preferred by experienced Bushcrafters.

NB:  New batch of DL1 MKII (# 02 to #10) is now in stock (as at Nov. 1008). See Project's page.  

JBN - RWL-34 DL1 Knife - # 05

DL1 - knife # 05 of 10 JBN blades.  Rather than have the Firesteel on a loop as part of the Sheath, Rae asked for a Papoose in matching Thuya. I made this set I for Rae Younger who had this to say when he got the knife:

Hi Paul

My DL1 knife arrived today, and it looks stunning - what a perfect 30th birthday present from my wife. The workmanship on the handle is fantastic and it fits like a glove in my hand. The sheath is beautifully executed too. It looks bombproof, with just enough detail on the leatherwork to keep it plain and understated - absolutely perfect.

Thanks again
 

THE TALISMAN

(In Damascus)

Full specification details further down...

The Sheaths above are all traditional British style with a fixed length belt loop and Firesteel loop.

British style Bushcraft knife Sheath heavily oiled and waxed for extra protection..

A nice pair of combos in Black Buffalo horn. The sheaths below need a bit more work to finish them off properly.

THE GUARDIAN

(In Damascus)

Full specification details further down...

This Sheath can be worn 'short' directly on the belt through the small (2 1/2") permanent loop or, 'long' by using the extension loop, which can easily be detached by undoing the 'Chicago Screw' if required - but not really necessary as the long loop tucks in behind the sheath anyway.

Notice the tight twist Damascus pattern

Updated Guardian Damascus blades

Three variations of the Talisman.  Bearing steel at the top; standard Damascus in the middle and small Damascus version at the bottom.

THE TALISMAN

(in 52100 Bearing Steel)

At last!  Here are the first two Talisman Blades in Bearing Steel with a 100% flat sided V Scandi grind as opposed to the very shallow Convex grind on the Damascus version...

I've decided to serial number these blades, so the above are 01 and 02.

Most probably 01 will be for me and 02 probably for my mate Gary Wale (as if he needs any more knives...)

Top is the Talisman in Antler and the bottom one is the Guardian in Dyed Masur Birch destined for T.C..

Below you can clearly see the handle profile that is made to suit a right handed person - just like every hand made custom knife should be!.

These three Sheaths are for the above two knives and are mainly shown here as examples of the type of sheath I make for my Bushcraft type knives.

The two Scandi sheaths on the left can be worn either side.  The British style one on the right is worn on the left side, short or long according to personal preferences or conditions.

THE GUARDIAN

(in 52100 Bearing steel)

In Cocobolo

Standard Scandi hanging type sheath with knife's cutting edge facing up, but it can also be turned to hang facing down.

Sheath with knife's cutting edge facing down and integrated Firesteel loop.

Here is a comparison between the Leuku, Guardian, Talisman and Shadow.

In comparison to the other blades the Leuku (top) stands out as being very different in size and shape.

The main difference between the Guardian and Talisman is in the handle configuration - one is flared with a flat end to take a butt plate and the other has a flat back with a round end.

The Shadow is different again, it has a longer cutting edge, slimmer profile and handle is contoured somewhat with a rounded end.

Custom Wrights & Sons Sheffield Bushcraft Knife in Buffalo/Cow Handle & matching Firesteel

Exceptionally Unique Custom Bushcraft Knife with a full tang Buffalo & Cow Horn handle.

Blade:  110mm x 25mm x 4.5mm made for me by Wright & Son Ltd. of Sheffield.  Material is British made High Carbon 01 tool steel with a Rockwell hardness of 56-58.  The blade type is a Spear point full tang with a flat grind on both sides.

Handle:  Nicely contoured for a comfortable safe grip.  Made up from solid Black Buffalo Horn and over layed with pale Cow Horn over red fibre liners. The whole is epoxied and pinned with s/s pins.  The lanyard hole is brass lined.

Overall the knife is 220mm long.

Firesteel: Quality 8mm x 9mm from Bearclaw Bushcraft Ltd., complete with antler handle, a good sized piece of flat natural Leather thonging and, the original Striker steel and chain.

Sheath:  Made from natural colour Veg Tanned 3.5mm leather, with firesteel holder. Sheath is embossed with and fancily stitched.  The sheath is fully treated with with oils and waxes hence the darker natural colour.

About this knife:  I originally intended to make this knife up for myself - as can be seen by having had my name on the blade.  However, on having completed it, my enthusiasm towards keeping it faded somewhat because as much as I am a knife enthusiast, making the knives is what gives me most satisfaction.  Even more fulfilling is the fact that someone else will enjoy owning it...

I didn't want to make just an ordinary looking good Bushcraft knife from such a quality blade; I wanted to make something different.  A knife that would stand out when compared to similar bladed knives.  I think I have succeeded, but then, I'd rather let others judge for themselves...

I may have overdone the horn work a bit, so I won't be surprised if this knife never sees the light of day let along be used to cut anything.  I don't mind really, collectors appreciate every aspect of a knife and they'll have a lot to admire with this one so it'll most probably end up going to a good home soon enough I suppose... 

Custom Poul Strande Damascus Knife in Coronet Antler handle & matching Firesteel

Unique Custom Damascus Scandi Bushcraft Knife with Crown Antler.

Blade:  Scandinavian Damascus steel hand forged by Poul Strande, of Denmark.  He represents the epitome of Scandinavian blade steel forgers.  Poul Strande is one of the top professional blacksmith blade makers in Europe who has has been forging knife blades for more than 20 years and his familiar initials - 'PS' - stamped on the blades. are renowned worldwide.  He's best known for his Damascus steel blades...

Blade Dimensions: 95mm x 24mm x 4mm.  The blade type is Scandi type stick tang with a flat grind on both sides.

Handle:  Select Crown Antler contoured for a comfortable safe grip.  The crown is left plain, which can be scrimshawed or embellished with a personal piece of jewellery.  The bolster is heavily embossed/filed solid brass.  The handle is epoxied inside the antler handle and further secured by a 5mm brass pin.

Overall the knife is 240mm long.  The actual hand grip part is 105mm long.

Firesteel:  Quality 8mm x 9mm from Bearclaw Bushcraft Ltd., complete with antler handle, a good sized piece of flat natural Leather thonging and, the original Striker steel and chain.

Sheath:  Made from natural colour Veg Tanned 3.5mm leather, with firesteel holder. Sheath is embossed with and fancily stitched.  The sheath is fully treated with with oils and waxes for a satin smooth finish, hence the darker colouring..

About this knife:  I normally source my Damascus steel blades from the USA, but I long wanted to have a go at making up a real proper Scandi blade - hence choosing this blade from Poul Strande.  I don't mind admitting that the cost of Damascus blades from Scandinavian countries has always put me off.  This blade wasn't cheap, but once I got the blade in my hands I realised that in this case, you get what you pay for.  The quality and feel of this blade amazed me, so in reality I got excellent value for money - it certainly won't be the last Scandinavian Damascus steel blade I'll be working with!

This little beauty oozes quality and classic functional styling and, best of all, it's a real tough working knife... 

PF Damascus Field Knife Number 1

(PFDFK-1)

'TALISMAN' Project Prototypes

The blade:

This knife blade is made exclusively for me by a top bladesmith in the USA.

125 layers of ‘Tight Twist’ Damascus steel composed of 1084 high carbon steel and 15n-20 with 2% nickel.  The steel is first forged into 125 layers and then forged into a round bar.  When at welding temperature the bar is twisted like a rope and then forged back into billets of Damascus.

The Damascus is then heat treated at 1500 degrees and quenched in oil.  At this stage the Damascus is too hard and must be tempered back to a useable hardness.  This done at 400 degrees for two hours and then repeated a second time.  The blade is then ground, buffed and acid etched to bring out the beautiful Damascus pattern in the steel.

The hardiness of a blade should not be too hard as to make it brittle and liable to break easily if subjected to abuse.  However, it should be hard enough to take and hold a good sharp edge.  This blade is hardened to Rockwell test 57-58 which, together with the steel composition, makes for a superior tough and very sharp edged blade.

Blade is 110mm long, 26mm wide and 4mm thick. Overall the knife is 220mm.

The Handle:

The handle scales of the top knife are of rare Amboyna Burl (Ptercarpus indicus) from Southeast Asia. The most beautiful and expensive burl wood in the world market.  The scales are epoxied over red fibre liners and further secured by two solid brass pins.  Next batch will have three pinholes.  A brass lined lanyard hole completes the handle.  The scales for the lower knife is seasoned Stag Antler over red fibre liners.

The Sheath:

Made from best quality veg tanned 3 - 3.5mm leather, double stitched with heavy waxed strong linen thread.  The sheath is shaped and figured and comes complete with a Firesteel holder to take a 9mm steel. A lanyard hole and a suitable length of leather thonging are also included.  The Sheath is fully treated with neatsfoot oil and carnuba wax mix and buffed up to a soft sheen.  The whole lot is not only durable, but compliments the knife perfectly.

The Talisman

 Background information:

These Knives were prototypes and underwent field testing by Gary Wale of Bearclaw Bushcraft Ltd.

It took nearly 5 months to get this far with this project because I decided that there would be no compromise to the quality of the steel or handle material. A similar blade, but 3.20mm thick as opposed to 4mm thick blade, was customised in Black buffalo horn by a Sheffield Mester and sold on eBay for £317 - so now you know what these knives are comparable to in quality and class.

Result of field testing:

Minor setback initially because the knives came with a secondary bevel, which had to be ground out.  Other than this no other negative comments were reported.

I expected my knives to be treated harshly and tested to destruction even.  My knives underwent every conceivable test one would expect from comparable well known established bushcraft type knives.     

The result was a 100% positive!  Beautiful to look at and as tough as they come - what more could anyone wish for in a knife...

This knife is exclusive to me and is currently my lead knife. Gary was sufficiently sufficiently impressed to request that I make him these knives to order - and his favourite knife is now the very same antler handed one shown - enough said...

Same blade in Masur birch

This blade has now been improved and has three pinholes plus a lanyard tube and the grind, while not completely flat, is a very shallow convex one.

PF Damascus Field Knife

Number 2 - Prototypes

(PFDFK-2)

I finished these knives on Xmas Eve just in case Santa popped in and wanted to see some nice knives he might like towards fulfilling someone's wish or two...

Actually, I just couldn't stand having them hanging around unfinished for the sake of a final polish.  The four Scandis were made specially for me, hence each blade having a different Damascus pattern.  These blades are a bit different from the PFDFK1 even though it's not too obvious.

The little 'Rabbit'  blade was a gift from Bernie Garland (Berax).    

The Scandis are Damascus Steel - two are 220mm x 25mm x 3.96mm and two are 220mm x 25mm x 4.76mm made in the USA from 1095 and 15N20 (1075 with 2% nickel) with an RC of 56-57.

The tang is full, with three 5mm pinholes and a 6mm lanyard hole.  The handles are all epoxied with industrial strength glue over red fibre liners. 

The handle materials I used in making up these knives represent my main favourite types - Amboyna, Afzelia, Red deer Antler and Black Buffalo horn.

Knife on the left has Amboyna burl for handle scales, as is the Firesteel handle.  This blade is 3.96mm thick with a simple V grind on both sides of the blade.

The Knife on the right has Afzelia Burl for handle scales, as is the Firesteel handle. This blade is 4.76mm thick and has one single grind.  

This knife has black buffalo horn for knife scales, as is the Firesteel handle.  This blade is 4.76mm thick

with a simple V grind on both sides of the blade.

This knife has Red Deer antler for knife scales, as is the Firesteel handle.  This blade is 3.96mm thick

with a simple V grind on both sides of the blade.

These knives would have suited anyone wanting a slightly more rounded traditional type field knife with a deeper grind.  Quality of Damascus steel and handle material is top notch, similar in composition to the PFDFK1 (The Talisman).

While I enjoyed making these knives a little bit more than usual, I decided not to continue making them because they were rather similar to the 'Talisman', albeit heftier.  The Talisman design is a proven one and much sleeker, so I've opted to concentrate on making the 'Talisman'.

I still feel that there's a need for a wide bladed robust field knife, so I'll be looking to making such a knife in the near future...

PS:  Just in case you're wandering about the little Amboyna handled knife; it's a one off neck knife I made up for my wife...

BFK Mk II Project

First batch of knives for testing

Blades in SAE52100 Bearing Steel

Arguably the best steel for a superior field knife...

These knives are upgraded prototypes of an already well known field knife, the Bearclaw Field Knife (BFK) that I have been requested to have a go at making to order by Gary Wale. 

As with any knife, the knives have to undergo various practical field trials before they can be approved as a direct replacement to the original carbon steel bladed knife - hence the Mk II tag.

So far the results have been very positive, but there are going to be some minor alterations to the shape and depth of the grind.  It is after all a MK II and that's what the testing is for...

Second batch of BFK II's -

with changes to grind

As can be seen when compared to the first batch of prototypes, the main difference is in the size and shape of the grind.  The handle has had an upgrade too.

The most important aspect of the BFK II is that of the blade material itself, which is after all the most important component of any knife.  I've chosen SAE52100 Bearing steel over 01 Tool steel as I've worked with both and I much prefer SAE52100 Bearing steel because it is superior to 01 tool steel - in my view at least.  But  Don't take my word for it, do your own research and satisfy yourself that I base my claim on practical and technical facts.

Now, when you compare the above 5 BFK II's to my own BFK II on the top right (I called mine  PFK1 actually), you'll notice that the fixing of the handle is different.  Let me explain why...

1.  My brief was to try and make the BFK II's as close to the original BFK as possible because that's what people know, ordered and obviously expect.  So that's what I tried to do, except for the steel upgrade of course.

2.  My knife has more fixing pins because the handle is in two parts basically.  While each part would have been OK with just two 5mm and one 5mm pins respectively, I went a bit further and added two 3mm to the horn and one further 3mm near the pommel end.  Even if the scales were all in one piece, I would still have secured them with three pins and not two - but that's strictly my own opinion and preference.

Feedback on the second batch of the BFK II's - Nearly there, but not quite!  Everything is OK except for the grind.  The requirement is for a 100% straight sided Vee grind and although the knives are very sharp, when inspected closely they still have a tiny - less than 1mm - secondary bevel.  On account of this, four of the five knives were sent back to me.

This project is proving more demanding than I originally thought because I'm having to try and clone another knife, not just the once, but many times over and I'm not really geared up - tool wise or temperamentally - for this sort of thing.  I had hoped that as my attempt would be making a MK II version I'd have some leeway - but it didn't turn out that way.

So, after discussing the matter with Gary, it was agreed that on account of my health situation, I would not remain involved with the the BFK II project as it's proving a bit too much for me.

In addition to the four of the knives shown, I've some BFK II prototype blades left, which I hand ground and polished.  As agreed with Gary I'll be disposing of them privately sometime during May under my own name.  Thereafter, the blades in their original form will not be made available to anyone.

Generally speaking, the design concept of the original BFK is very good.  However, as with any design there is always room for improvement, hence my desire to use Bearing steel.  I had wanted to use three pins and not just two, for added strength bearing in mind the length of the handle.  However this was one suggestion too many that deviated from the original brief.

A Guardian in Purpleheart

My PFK-1

(Guardian prototype)

This one, from the second batch, is mine of course, hence the PFK1.  It's in Bearing steel.

The very first Guardian prototypes I built - Top one in Bearing steel, bottom one in Damascus steel.  The top knife is actually slightly smaller than my current production versions.

A note about handle shapes...  While everyone knows what a hand looks like, you'll be surprised how variable the actual size and shape is between individuals.  It therefore follows that there isn't such a thing as a perfect universal knife handle.  To make matters worse one has to also take into account the various personal preferences...  As a consequence, as many other things in life, every handle is a compromise and it is only those who make their own knives or have their knives made to suit their hand/preferences will ever come close to having their ideal handle...

I have two preferences; for medium sized knives I like the coke bottle shape with a slightly larger palm swell on the right (I'm right handed).  For the large knives I prefer the slightly curved and contoured handle, once again with the right side slightly more pronounced.  In all cases I choose to have a longer handle and as experience has thought me, keep a fair distance between the forefinger and the cutting edge...

The knife above will be altered some more as I want to take away the upper outward curve of the handle and make it slightly sloping down instead.

I have applied the same principles with the two specially commissioned Damascus BFK II based prototypes below.

The top knife is in Brown Malee Burl and the bottom knife is in Amboyna Burl - both over red fibre liners.  The handle is a slim coke bottle shape with the incurve to the pommel being longer and gentler as I found that it works better for me.

The bolster is not in full brass, but is a 3mm plate (as for the butt) recessed and pinned within the wood scales.  I wanted to see the effect of having different sized brass plates and unfortunately I can't make up my mind which I like best!

The sheath for these two knives were designed to be worn in two positions.  It can be worn 'short' directly on the belt through the small (2 1/2") permanent loop or, 'long' by using the extension loop, which can easily be detached by undoing the 'Chicago Screw' if required - but not really necessary as the long loop tucks in behind the sheath anyway.

Although they can't be seen, the matching firesteel's handles are not matching in material only, but in their make up too.  The handle is in two parts with a red liner in between capped with a solid brass plate through which the firesteel is inserted.

The next step is to make the next batch of blades as per the design I have in mind to make the handle more comfortable.

And here are the new Damascus Guardian blades.  There are 5 of them here. One of these blades will be further experiment with as I want to see if I can make a handle shape to suit people with small, medium and large hands.

The bottom blade from above is shown made up below in yet another handle configuration.  It's in natural Masur Birch and Bone with a 1.5mm thick solid brass ring over birch at the bolster for added strength and a nice contrast.

I made the slight coke bottle shaped handle taper towards the rear end so that it fits neatly in a variety of hand sizes and grips.

This knife has an extremely solid feel to it and I like it so much I might even keep it for myself...   

The First production Guardian

in 52100 Bearing steel

This the very first production Guardian from 52100 Bearing steel - which I'm very pleased with.

The handle is in nicely figured Cocobolo, with three brass pins and a brass lined lanyard hole topped by a solid brass cap.  This handle configuration turned out to be really nice and comfortable and will fit small and large hands alike.

The Blade is 105mm long, 28mm wide and 4mm thick.  Overall the knife is 220mm long.

The Firesteel has a matching Cocobolo handle.

The Sheath is British bushcraft style in 3.5mm veg tanned leather, double row, double stitched with firesteel loop. Belt loop will take a 2" belt easily.

This one above is destined for Mike in the USA...

Another Black Buffalo horn Bearing Steel guardian awaiting dispatch to Richard...

Two matching Talisman Combos

Another Damascus Talisman, this time in Antler and Horn.

This one is in Black Cherry Burl with Black buffalo inserts. Note the polished grind...

RWL-34 Bladed Field Knife

This one of three RWL-34 blades that were made by Jasper B. Nielson of Denmark.

The handle is Black Buffalo Horn and Red Deer Antler with a solid brass Bolster and end cap.

Poul Strande Damascus Nordic Knife

This a Poul Strande Damascus blade made up in the Nordic style; although the sheath is my interpretation as it's meant to show off the contrast.

The Shadow MK1

This is the very first 01 Tool Steel bladed Shadow knife that I made.

The handle material is Sambar Stag Antler over Red fibre liners.

Talisman in Masur Birch

This Talisman belongs to Zach Thomas, from Adelaide in Australia.  I was exceptionally pleased with the way the knife turned out because the Masur Birch is the best I have ever worked with.

Talisman in Sambar Stag Antler

The PFDFK 1 - Experiment

(Forerunners of the Talisman)

I had 4 Damascus bushcraft blades going spare that were based on the P F Damascus Field Knife Number 1 (PFDFK1) prototypes.  I wanted to do something different with them and I thought I might try and see if I can find four people who would like me to make the blades up into finished knives to their requirements from any of the materials shown on this website.

The response was amazing, I wish I had lots more blades!  I needed to find out as much as possible from the potential user because I was aiming to bring their idea to life and hopefully make them very happy when they see the result.

Each of these knife represent a person with whom I communicated in detail in an effort to make them a knife to their heart's desire.  As a consequence, the building process was that much more interesting because of the personal connection, which is something I really like to do.

As can be seen from these pictures, the finished knives look very nice and I was please with all of them.

From the left: Mark's - in Afzelia with matching firesteel; Tim's - in Buffalo Horn with matching firesteel; Geoff's - in Oliepod with matching firesteel and Peter's - in Oliepod with antler Papoose firesteel.

Well, that's the last of these blades, so the best of luck to their new owners...

I'm pleased to say that that Mark, Tim, Geoff and Peter were all very happy with their knives and communicated their appreciation like true gentlemen - thanks guys!

There's a very special story behind this knife and it goes like this...

Jessica wanted to give her husband Ben a nice present in May 2007 for his birthday, so she asked me to make him a knife, although she admitted to not having much of a clue.  That was overcome however, because we communicated well and eventually she settled for an antler handle over red liners and also wanted a Papoose Firesteel in antler.  Later on Jessica also wanted a firesteel with matching handle, which I obliged with.

A few days later she asked me to speed things up as her husband had bought a firesteel and a cheap knife and she was worried that waiting until May could prove disastrous.  She wanted it for Valentine Day and could I do it?

By now I was well and truly hooked on the 'plot' so I agreed and worked away at it.  I did manage to get it to her (actually her sister's so Ben wouldn't know) and her response was:

Well, that was a good start - I was very pleased.

I haven't got a picture of the finished knife because I forgot to take one in my rush to post it off to her! 

Anyway, it's Valentine's day today and true to her word this is what she said:

"He loves it!  He absolutely loves it!  We will send you a photo as soon as we have somebody here to take one of all of us!  He is so pleased Paul... thank you for making it all that I hoped it would be! Thank you - Jessica

Call me a softie if you like, but it's hard not to get emotional when his sort of thing happens.

Last of the Shadows

Hi Paul,  

Just opened the Shadow knife you sent me and..... wow just wow!

 It’s amazing and completely perfect, I love the detail in the sheath and the handle fits perfectly into my hands thank you so much for doing that for me!  Would I be able to ask you for another knife?? My best friend is about to join the Royal Marine Commando’s after finishing university and I would like to send him off with something  special and one of your knives would be great!

Thank you again - Martyn

Standard specifications of:

THE TALISMAN

The Blade:

Damascus: 125 layers of ‘Tight Twist’ Damascus steel composed of 1084 high carbon steel and 15n-20 with 2% nickel.  This blade is hardened to Rockwell test 57-58 which, together with the steel composition, makes for a superior tough and very sharp edged blade.

Blade is 110mm long, 26mm wide and 4mm thick. Overall the knife is 220mm.

or

Bearing Steel: The blade is hand forged from raw SAE52100 Bearing steel balls/rollers and is hardened to Rockwell test 58-59.

Blade is 110mm long, 26mm wide and 4mm thick. Overall the knife is 220mm.

The Handle:

My preferred handle shape is the 'Coke Bottle' type. If required, I can alter the handle shape to suit individual tastes.

The handle scales can be any of the materials I have on this website, to special order or even your own.  However, as this is mainly a working knife, Black Buffalo horn, Antler or dense hardwoods should be considered.  If the knife is for occasional use, then any of the woods would be suitable.

The scales are epoxied over red, black or white  fibre liners and further secured by three solid brass pins.  A brass lined lanyard hole completes the handle.

The handle is oil finished with CCL traditional English Oils for a Satin finish.  A glossy oil and wax finish is available if required, but this is not as durable as the traditional oil finish.

The Sheath:

One can choose from four types of Sheaths; a standard British style with a fixed belt loop; a hybrid Brit/Scandi version as shown above or, either of the two Scandinavian style sheaths.

The British and Brit/Scandi Sheaths can be provided with a Firesteel loop fitted.  One of the Scandinavian style Sheaths comes with a Firesteel loop already integrated, but the other is not suitable for fitting a firesteel loop to.

The Sheath is made from quality veg tanned 3.5mm leather, double stitched with heavy duty strong thread. The sheath is oil and wax finished to a soft sheen.

With the Brit and Brit/Scandi sheath, a leg tie lanyard hole and a suitable length of leather thonging is available on request.

The Sheath can be finished in Brown, Black or in an Antique effect.  Whatever the finish it is fully treated with neatsfoot oil and carnuba wax mix and buffed up to a soft sheen.  The whole lot is not only durable, but is aimed at compliments the knife perfectly.

The Firesteel:

A 9mm Firesteel can be provided if required.  The handle can be made from horn or antler or, from the same materials the knife handle is made from, including a matching fibre liner!

Alternatively, the Firesteel can be provided in 'Papoose' style, but I cannot guarantee that I'll be able to make it from the same material as the knife handle. 

NB: As these knives are individually hand made, all sizes are approximate and some minor variations from blade to blade and knife to knife are to be expected...

Standard specifications of:

THE GUARDIAN

The Blade:

Damascus: 125 layers of ‘Tight Twist’ Damascus steel composed of 1084 high carbon steel and 15n-20 with 2% nickel.  This blade is hardened to Rockwell test 57-58 which, together with the steel composition, makes for a superior tough and very sharp edged blade.

Blade is 110mm long, 28mm wide and 4mm thick.  Overall the knife is 225mm long.

 or

Bearing Steel: The blade is hand forged from raw SAE52100 Bearing steel balls/rollers and is hardened to Rockwell test 58-59.

Blade is 110mm long, 28mm wide and 4mm thick.  Overall the knife is 225mm long.

The Handle:

My preferred handle shape is the 'Coke Bottle' type. If required, I can alter the handle shape to suit individual tastes.

The handle scales can be any of the materials I have on this website, to special order or even your own.  However, as this is mainly a working knife, Black Buffalo horn, Antler or dense hardwoods should be considered.  If the knife is for occasional use, then any of the woods would be suitable.

The scales are epoxied over red, black or white  fibre liners and further secured by three solid brass pins.  A brass lined lanyard hole completes the handle.  The pommel end is capped with a 3mm thick solid brass plate.  Basically, the overall shape is as for the 52100 Bearing Steel version.

However, by special request only, a 3mm thick brass plates can be integrated into the bolster end as shown in the original Damascus version above.   

The handle is oil finished with CCL traditional English Oils for a Satin finish.  A glossy oil and wax finish is available if required, but this is not as durable as the traditional oil finish. 

The Sheath:

One can choose from four types of Sheaths; a standard British style with a fixed belt loop; a hybrid Brit/Scandi version as shown above or, either of the two Scandinavian style sheaths.

The British and Brit/Scandi Sheaths can be provided with a Firesteel loop fitted.  One of the Scandinavian style Sheaths comes with a Firesteel loop already integrated, but the other is not suitable for fitting a firesteel loop to.

With the Brit and Brit/Scandi sheath, a leg tie lanyard hole and a suitable length of leather thonging is available on request.

The Sheath is made from quality veg tanned 3.5mm leather, double stitched with heavy duty strong thread.  The sheath is oil and wax finished to a soft sheen.

The Firesteel:

A 9mm Firesteel can be provided if required.  The handle can be made from horn or antler or, from the same materials the knife handle is made from, including a matching fibre liner!

Alternatively, the Firesteel can be provided in 'Papoose' style, but I cannot guarantee that I'll be able to make it from the same material as the knife handle. 

NB: As these knives are individually hand made, all sizes are approximate and some minor variations from blade to blade and knife to knife are to be expected...